However, I had a culinary experience last night revitalizing enough to inspire me to post, and it was as simple as Deviled Eggs.
We had been invited to a holiday party by our friends Carla and Ruairi, and I didn't want to show up empty handed. For some reason, Deviled Eggs were the first holiday finger food that came to mind. I'd never made them before, but in my experience, anything involving eggs is pretty damn easy.
After braving the most terriyfing Market Basket experience I've ever had (which is saying a LOT), I had what I needed: 1 dozen eggs and a bunch of scallions. Really, that's all I needed that I didn't already have in my refrigerator.
I hard boiled the eggs (and only had one explode in the process), shocked them in ice water, peeled them, cut them in half, took out the insides, mixed those with all sorts of deliciousness, slopped 'em into a make-shift piping bag, squeezed 'em out into their original egg white homes, and sprinkled the results with paprika and scallions (because chives weren't available).
They were so good, and so retro-Christmasey. They looked pretty darn good, too!
CURRIED DEVILED EGGS (adapted from the petite pig)
(original photo)
1 dozen eggs (I used organic free range because I'm a sucker)
3/4 cup of mayonnaise
1 TBS dijon mustard
2 TBS curry powder
1 TBS paprika
1 tsp salt
1 bunch scallions or chives
1. Place eggs in a large saucepan, cover with cold water (by at least an inch), and add a liberal amount of salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat and wait for 12 minutes. In the meantime, fill a large bowl with ice water. After 12 minutes, remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and place in the ice water to halt the cooking process.
2. Once the eggs are cool enough to hande (which shouldn't take long), peel off the shells. I like to gently tap them on a cutting board until the whole surface is covered in tiny cracks and then remove the peel under running water. Be careful not to rip the white!
3. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place in a mixing bowl. Arrange the whites on a serving platter.
4. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, curry powder, and salt to the yolks. Mash until smooth. Add a stalk or two of finely minced scallions and stir again.
5. Add the yolk mixture to a large ziplock bag (or a pastry sleeve, if you have one). Cut off one of the bottom corners of the bag with a pair of scissors - cut off a small amount if you want a thin output, and a large amount if you want it thick. Then, squeezing from the top of the ziplock bag (I twisted the bag where the filling began), pipe a tablespoon or two of the yolk mixture into each of the egg white halves.
6. After all of the filling has been added, sprinkle the eggs with a dusting of paprika (if you sprinkle from up high, the coverage will be lighter and more evenly distributed). Then, if desired, add some more scallions, finely sliced on the bias.
Delicious, simple, and cheap. You kind of can't go wrong.
Happy Holidays!
- M
